Today we’d like to introduce you to Salim Tejani.
Hi Salim, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Our Story
I am originally from Pakistan and came to the United States several years ago. I have been in business for more than 35 years. Over the years, I have owned and operated several different businesses, including convenience stores, gas stations, dollar stores, and smoke shops. After many years as an independent business owner, I decided it was time to invest in a franchise with a unique concept.
While traveling to Dubai, I stopped at a restaurant called Doner & Gyros. I was immediately impressed because it brought together Mediterranean cuisine from different cultures under one roof. You could find Greek, Turkish, Lebanese, Persian, and German-inspired dishes all in one place. I knew this concept had great potential in the United States.
When I returned to Houston, I contacted the company about opening a franchise, but they were not ready to expand into the U.S. market at that time. About a year later, I reached out again, and this time they invited me to Dubai to discuss the opportunity.
I flew to Dubai the very next day and spent three days with their team. During my visit, I toured several Doner & Gyros locations to better understand the concept, operations, and customer experience. After our meetings, I was convinced this was the right opportunity. We reached an agreement, I signed the master franchise rights for Houston and the surrounding cities, and I returned to Texas to begin searching for the perfect location.
I signed Master Franchisee contract because I had plan to open several locations around houston area.
I chose our current location because of its strong potential. Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital is next door, Home2 Suites by Hilton is directly behind us, and the area serves residents and travelers heading toward Richmond and Rosenberg. After signing the lease, we spent about six months building the restaurant and invested approximately $400,000 to bring our vision to life.
We proudly opened our doors in September 2019.
Unfortunately, just a few months later, COVID-19 changed everything.
Most restaurants need six to eight months to build a loyal customer base before becoming profitable. We never had that opportunity. When the pandemic began in early 2020, dining rooms closed, people stopped eating out, and our business suffered tremendously. We lost a significant amount of money during this period. Even after restrictions were lifted in 2021, many customers remained hesitant to dine out, so our recovery was slow.
By 2023, business was finally beginning to improve. Then, in 2024, we faced another major challenge. Extensive road construction around our shopping center made it extremely difficult for customers to reach us. Most roads leading to the restaurant were closed, leaving only one small access road open. The project was originally expected to last eight months, but it continued for nearly a year and a half. During that time, we lost approximately $45,000 in business because many new and returning customers simply could not find or access our restaurant.
The construction was finally completed in 2025, and we have been working hard to rebuild our customer base ever since.
Despite every challenge—from the pandemic to prolonged construction—we have never given up. We are still here, serving fresh Mediterranean food with the same passion and commitment we had on the day we opened. We are incredibly grateful for the loyalty and support of our customers, whose encouragement has helped us continue through some of the most difficult years in our journey.
Our story is one of perseverance, resilience, and hope. We believe that with the continued support of our community, our best days are still ahead.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The biggest obstacle was Covid as soon as we opened up and then construction after Covid finished we lost close to$100,000 during those two incidents
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Doner&Gyros?
Back in 2012, I had a dream to bring together two of my favorite foods from around the world. Ever since that vision, i acquired a highly dedicated team of researchers and professionals to create a concept that the community would love best. After years of production and hard work, Döner & Gyros was born and made its debut in 2014. Fast forward to today, we have a significant presence in the U.A.E with strategic plans to expand into the international market in the immediate future. Partner with us today, and let’s grow together not just as a brand, but as a team. I look forward to a long lasting relationship with our franchisees.
Although these sandwiches were famous, all were sold through independent mom-and-pop restaurants – with not a single global franchise chain delivering these sandwiches. Döner & Gyros mission is to change that, and to ensure that the heritage and history of these iconic sandwiches stays alive and vibrant. When you visit Döner & Gyros, you share not only in the heritage and history of these products, but also delight in our authentic recipes using quality ingredients that is served freshly prepared.
Although these sandwiches were famous, all were sold through independent mom-and-pop restaurants – with not a single global franchise chain delivering these sandwiches. Döner & Gyros mission is to change that, and to ensure that the heritage and history of these iconic sandwiches stays alive and vibrant. When you visit Döner & Gyros, you share not only in the heritage and history of these products, but also delight in our authentic recipes using quality ingredients that is served freshly prepared.
DÖNER & GYROS WERE BORN TO BRING
TWO OF THE MOST ICONIC SANDWICHES TO STREETS ACROSS THE WORLD
Both of these sandwiches originates from the Mediterranean, and have in common a love for the freshest ingredients and great tasting food. However, each took a different journey in becoming famous. And just like any other good history story, the real person behind their fame is passionately contested with fortunes made and lost.
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
The biggest way people can support us is simply by giving us a chance. Come in, try our food, and if you enjoy your experience, tell your family, friends, and coworkers about us. Word-of-mouth has always been the strongest form of advertising for a small business like ours.
We’ve been through some very difficult years. We opened in September 2019, only to be hit by COVID a few months later. Just as we started recovering, our shopping center was surrounded by road construction that lasted much longer than expected. Despite all of that, we never gave up. We continued serving our customers and stayed committed to providing fresh, high-quality Mediterranean food every day.
If you’re a local business, hospital, school, or organization, we’d love to work with you through catering, office lunches, community events, and fundraisers. We welcome partnerships that help bring people together over great food.
The best way to support us is to become part of our story. Every visit, every catering order, every online review, every social media share, and every recommendation to a friend makes a real difference. Small businesses grow because of their communities, and we’re grateful for everyone who has supported us along the way.
We’re here for the long run, and we look forward to serving our community for many years to come.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://donerandgyros.us
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donerandgyrostx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonergyrosTx
- LinkedIn: https://www.tiktok.com@donerandgyrostexas
